The completed Nandoni Dam is an impressive masterpiece of technology, but when will the rest of the water scheme be completed? In other words, when will the gigantic water problems of Thohoyandou, Louis Trichardt, Sinthumule/Kutama and the surrounding rural communities finally be resolved?

Last week, residents of Louis Trichardt living east of the N1 had a one week breather in their daily water supply interruptions. But will there come a time that domestic users will enjoy a continuous water supply?

Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) said that the estimated timeframe for this to happen is 2011.

“DWAF is currently implementing this project from Nandoni to Valdezia (Albasini Area) and VDM is also busy implementing the project from Albasini to Sinthumule/Kutama,” stated Mr Ndivuho Mamathuba, spokesperson of VDM. The VDM budget for the project is given as R106m, excluding the DWAF budget.

Mamathuba said that the completion of this project will result in water supply for the villages and towns targeted.

“The water supply to the Air Force Base, Sinthumule/Kutama, Louis Trichardt and Tshikota will be highly improved, compared to the current state,” Mamathuba said. The urban area of Thohoyandou and all the villages that are on the pipeline route will benefit, including Mailaskop, Vleifontein, Munzhedzi, Tshitale, Vuwani, Phapazela, Mulamula, Mudabula, Tshilungoma, Budeli, Dumasi, Tshisele, Mongondi, Tshamutilikwa, Ha Makhuvha, Mulenzhe and Dididi.

In an earlier DWAF document, it is stated that the main purpose of the Levhuvhu River Government Water Scheme is to supply water for domestic use in the urban areas of Thohoyandou and Louis Trichardt and to the rural communities in the northern parts of Limpopo “from Malamulele and Lambani in the east to Sinthumule/Kutama in the west by the year 2003.” It seems that patience is ever needed.

Last month, it was stated that the completion date for the DWAF project was postponed from 2009 to 2010 “due to some challenges that DWAF experienced during the implementation of the project.” Progress includes the near completion of the Mavambe Reservoir. The pipeline from Mavambe to the Vuwani booster pump and the pipeline from Vuwani to Valdezia are almost completed, according to the statement received in May.

The supply to Levubu is under investigation by both VDM and DWAF. The planners want to include the villages of Vyeboom, Masia, Mashau, Thondoni and Valdezia in their investigation.

VDM is responsible for the project from Albasini to Sinthumule/Kutama villages. They decided to implement this project in two phases.

“It was a strategic decision to implement this project in phases and that was due to the unavailability of all the funds to implement the project in one go,” Mamathuba said.

The first phase is indicated as starting from the Air Force Base to the Mowkop Reservoir via Louis Trichardt. The source of water for this portion is the underground water from the Nooitgedacht farm. Most of the sub-phases have been completed.

Phase two is the part from Mowkop to Albasini. This phase will only start once the availability of funds is confirmed. The spokesperson stated that the plan was to get started from the beginning of the new financial year.